Inhaler



Aug. 18, 1936. G. E. MORRISON INHALER Filed Noy. 14, 1934 am y n? N M Mm Fig.1

Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNETE g'g" 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pinelators or inhalers and has, among its objects: to provide a very efiicient inhaling device; to provide a device having as its principle of operation the generation of fine bubbles of air and the drawing of these bubbles through a medicinal solution, to be inhaled by the user, and to provide a device in which the air-moving operation is produced entirely by inspiratory efforts of the patient; to clean or condition the inclrawn air and remove pollen therefrom by drawing it through still water; to provide a device which fur nishes medicated hot or cold air; and to provide a cheap and efficient means for sealingly, yieldably and detachably mounting the tubular parts of the apparatus.

Features of the invention include details of construction as well as the new principle of operation.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description of the drawing forming a part of this application, and in said drawing Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my inhaler, taken approximately on line ll of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a top plan; and

Figure 3 is an elevation of the cap and tubes carried thereby.

In the drawing, the numeral l indicates a vessel, in this instance of glass, which vessel is adapted to contain any suitable hot or cold solution of volatile medicament. A water solution is commonly used. The liquid is indicated at 2, the upper level of the liquid at 3, and the space over the liquid at 4.

The neck of the vessel or container is exteriorly threaded as at 5 and a cap 6 of suitable material is in threaded engagement with said threads, 5. The cap is provided with a liner disk 1 of suitable material which is clamped between the neck and the cap 6.

The cap and disk have perforations H3, in this instance three in number. Inserted in each of two of the perforations is a soft rubber sleeve ll having its upper end folded outwardly upon itself as at I 2 to increase constrictive action on a nasal inhaler tube l3, preferably of glass, having the usual olive [4. There are two of these tubes spaced and arranged as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the spacing corresponding to the space between the nasal passages. The folded-over portion not only increases constrictive action of the sleeve but acts as a stop abuttingly engaging the outer surface of the cap to limit insertion motion of the sleeve. This turned-over portion also has a sealing action at the opening ID.

The soft rubber sleeve is first put on the suction tube, (or on the bubble-forming tube), then 5 the outer portion of the rubber sleeve is folded over upon itself, and then the rubber sleeve is inserted through the opening. The insertion action presses the lower edge of the over-turned portion of the sleeve into sealing engagement 10 around the opening.

The third opening ID has inserted therein a sleeve IS, in all respects identical with the sleeve l I. Into this sleeve is forced a closed-bottom air intake tube I! of metal or glass. The tube extends substantially to the bottom of the receptacle l, and adjacent its closed bottom but extending upwardly therefrom are a plurality of fine openings l8 as means for finely dividing the air as it is sucked therethrough into the surrounding medicated solution. The combined cross-sectional areas of the openings should be equal to or greater than the cross-sectional area or caliber of the tube so that the suction force of the patients respiratory effort is amply sufiicient to draw the air through the openings to break it up finely, or, so to speak, atomize it. The tube has somewhat the form of a long thin test tube. The tiny openings are for the purpose of reducing the size of the bubbles and for mixing air with the volatile medicament of the solution. The rubber sleeves H and I6 act to cushion the glass and metal tubes, and also provide a yieldable mounting which reduces liability to breakage.

The action of the device will be clear. The user places the olives in the nostrils and breaths in strongly, the result being to suck air downwardly through the tube l1 and through the openings l8, then upward through the liquid across the chamber 4 and into the nasal tubes IS. The device finds valuable use in the treatment of hayfever, sinitis, bronchitis, asthma, head colds, etc. Certain modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. 45

A feature is the use of hot or cold Water, and the delivery of medicated hot or cold air through the glass tubes to the nostrils. A valuable feature is the breathing of air through the water for purposes of medication. During passage through the solution, the air is also rendered dustless and pollenless. The air is therefore, so to speak, conditioned, having been drawn through still Water without other mechanical aid than the suction created by in-breathing of the patient. 5

I have found that the use of the fine openings arranged in a submerged portion of the tube and adjacent the closed end thereof results in a very efficient mixture of air and medicament. I have further found that there is a particularly efficient distribution of the inhalant in the respiratory passages and sinuses, due partly to the thorough mixing of air with the volatile constituents of the medicament and due partly to the inspiratory effort of the patient.

By finely dividing the air to produce small bubbles, the air responds much more promptly to the temperature of the solution, and a more uniform'heating or cooling of the air is obtained. It will, of course, be understood that the means for finely dividing or breaking up the air may be .means other than that indicated in the drawing.

In the device as shown, two shafts of hot medicated steam or vapor reach the respiratory passages as a result of suction on the tubes l3. The action of the small bubbles is to very efiiclently pick up the volatile constituents of the solution. The bubbles are so small that practically no pollen can be carried through. In some affections the device is operated by mouth, and moreover, in cases of fever, the temperature of the solution can be reduced to about 48 Fahrenheit by the use of ice and salt.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the class described comprising, a vessel and a cover therefor made of thin material and having two openings therein, a soft rubber sleeve sealinglytraversing each opening, a tube traversing and expanding each sleeve and acting as the sole means to operatively secure the tube, said sleeve acting to permit yielding lateral motion of the tube.

2. A device of the class described comprising a vessel and cover therefor composed of thin material, said cover having two openings therein, a first soft rubber sleeve sealingly traversing one of the openings, a suction tube for the user traversing said sleeve and acting to expand it,

said sleeve having a circumferential stop portion in engagement with the cover to limit inward movement of the sleeve, a second sleeve similar to the first and sealingly traversing the other opening and anv air intake tube traversing the last mentioned sleeve and acting to expand it and adapted to be partly submerged in the solution and having a plurality of tiny openings for dividing the air into a large number of parts as it is sucked from the tube into the surrounding solution, said sleeves permitting yielding lateral motions of the tubes.

3. A device of the class described comprising, a vessel and a screw cap cover therefor made of thin material and having three openings therein, a soft rubber sleeve sealingly traversing each opening, a tube traversing and expanding each sleeve and acting as the sole means to operatively secure the tube and the sleeve, said sleeve having a folded-over circumscribing portion forming a stop in engagement with the outer side of the cover, two of said tubes acting as nasal suction tubes and being adjacently disposed and each having an olive, and the third tube being adapted to extend into the liquid of the receptacle and having a large number of tiny openings through which air is sucked by the two nasal tubes into the liquid.

4. A suction-operable inhaler comprising a vessel for liquid having a top closure of thin material and having two openings therein, sleeves of compressible elastic material, one sealingly traversing each opening but adapted to be easily withdrawn from the opening, each sleeve having a shoulder for engaging the outer side of the cover to limit inward motion of the sleeve, a pair of olives each having a tubular portion sealingly traversing and expanding one of the sleeves and so held as to be laterally adjustable to vary the spacing between olives, and an air intake tube sealingly traversing the remaining sleeve and adapted to be submerged in the liquid.

GEORGE E. MORRISON. 

